Interview with exist†trace featuring MIKO

JrockRevolution.com had the opportunity to interview exist†trace recently. MIKO (guitarist) gave us a little insight on the band, where they’ve been, and a taste of where they’re going. Enjoy!

JRR: Please introduce yourself. MIKO: I’m MIKO, I play guitar.

JRR: How are you feeling today? MIKO: I feel great. We have a one-man [live show] this weekend, so I’m concentrating on that now.

JRR: We would like to start off by congratulating you all on your latest CD release. What would you like your listeners to take away from the new album? MIKO: The songs on "VANGUARD -of the muses-" are all connected by the idea of struggle, and I want everyone who hears the album to understand those feelings of struggle and find strength in the music for the conflicts in their own lives.

JRR: I think some of your current fans and new listeners would be curious to know where you came up with the name for your band? MIKO: "exist†trace" takes meaning from "a trace of existence." The cross in the middle is a sign of the burden that goes with existing.

JRR: How did you all meet and decide to form exist†trace? MIKO: Jyou (vocals) and Naoto (bass) started the band, and then added then other three one-by-one. It took about three years to find the right combination.

JRR: When did you originally get in to Visual Kei? Were you influenced by and specific artists or bands? MIKO: I can’t name any one band — there were many. I listened to visual kei rock since I was in high school, and when I first played guitar, I was always playing in those kind of bands.

JRR: You recently did a tour in Europe with Black:List that was very successful. What was it like to tour outside of Japan? MIKO: The European fans gave us so much energy. We were really happy about that, and we couldn’t believe that so many know our music already.

JRR: Are there any other bands you’d like to tour with? MIKO: I’d like to play with any band that can match our energy. We always have fun when we’re performing so we want to be with other bands who are having fun.

JRR: If you had the chance to tour internationally where would you like to go? MIKO: America! At one point I was living in America for a while, in Texas. I love everything about America. I ate a lot of meat.

JRR: When you’re not playing music what do you like to do? Any hobbies or favorite pastimes? MIKO: My hobby is playing guitar. I am always listening to music or writing music. It’s 2 PM in Japan right now. If I wasn’t doing this interview, that’s what I’d be doing.

JRR: Being an all female Visual Kei band, do you personally think it is any different or more difficult in the rock music business? Comparing it to an all male Visual Kei band. MIKO: When we first started, things were so hard for us that we all wished we had born as men. But now that time has passed, we know that there are things we can do because we are female, things that are unique. So we don’t feel any disadvantage.

JRR: Could you give us forecast for your plans for the year? MIKO: We are working right now on new music, and we’re trying to play as many lives as we can. In the near future, we’ll have something new to announce.

JRR: Please leave our readers with a message. MIKO: We are so happy that there are fans abroad that listen to our music. And after going to Europe, we understand how exciting that is, and we want to keep going abroad to play for you. So please continue to support us and we will see you again.